draconi

Morrigan didn't often take flight across Ferelden. Not when she had eluvians, and was rebuilding the old travelling system from before the veil. She was using limited information, because she had not been blessed enough to be chosen as a vessel for anyone worthwhile. But with darkspawn traveling Thedas, she wanted a dragon's bird's eye view. She'd reinforced the wards around the section of the Wilds that she lived in, and had left Kieran and Calixte there because it was safe.

Safer than anywhere else in the world, honestly. 

She might have chosen to fly, not only to get a view, but because she enjoyed the reactions of those below. Who saw a High Dragon and panicked... it gave her some great pleasure to know that was because of her. She landed in a clearing just outside of Vigil's Keep, and shifted, stretching as she did. So far, so good, no darkspawn around. She'd have to fly in the other direction later, try to give Byron some kind of news.

But for now, she'd shifted and the dragon had disappeared. Her hands in her pockets, the witch started walking. It'd take her a few hours to get to Vigil's Keep if she walked, but she didn't plan on walking the entire way. Just for the moment.

Jaqueline watched the shadow of the huge beast glide across the forest floor.  She watched dip below the treeline as she sat with her back against the rough bark of a tree.  She kept still, allowing the deep shadows to hide her as she watched silently.  She knew she should be frightened, but she was too consumed by curiosity to feel the terror that seemed like it should accompany such a winged creature.  

Jaqueline knit her brows when, after a few moments, the figure emerged from the trees with her hands in her pocket.  She seemed to be alert, though Jaq strongly suspected the attention was not geared toward road-weary travelers.  

Jaq took two apples out of her bag and waited.  When the figure had drawn near enough, she finally spoke.  

"I haven't seen many travelers on this road.  I hope this encounter turns out fortuitous.  Would you like an apple?"  Jaq held the fruit out to the stranger, a neutral expression on her face save for the smallest hint of a smile.

Morrigan paused, Mmm, not many travel through these parts with the horde on the move. She ignored the proffered fruit, hands firmly in her pockets.

Fortune depends on the payment. She flashed a fae smile towards the stranger. Where are you trying to get too? The offer only extended because the girl reminded her of her daughter.

Jaqueline tossed the apple in the air, caught it, and quickly palmed it so that it seemingly disappeared in her hand.

"I haven't seen the horde, thank the gods."  The smile that had been restrained finally broke free, lighting her face with warmth and sincerity.  

"I'm on my way to Denerim...though I fear I may have gotten turned around somewhere along the way.  As far as help...I imagine payment would depend on the kind of help available."

Jaq knew her curiosity would likely drive up the price of whatever was offered, but couldn't resist - something about this stranger seemed to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.  She knew that feeling, knew that somehow she had been meant to end up here, now, with this person.

Morrigan raised her eyebrows as the girl stated where she was trying to reach. "Mmm, you're in Amarathine, right now. Denerim's a few clicks up ahead, follow the river.

She did not smile. She was not warm. She did not even offer a name. I doubt you've anything I want, child. She commented, turning as a flock of birds rushed into the skies.

The witch watched the birds. Careful on your way, kid. Darkspawn aren't nice. She started to leave, heading in the direction the birds had just vacated, but paused.

What's your business in Denerim?

Byron was, after all, her employer. Though did you really employ Morrigan, or did you fear her and let her simply do what she wanted? Questions she'd have to ask the King.

Jaqueline bit her lip, unsure how much she should tell this stranger.  A knot was growing in the pit of her stomach, and the urge to somehow engage this woman pulled her forward, compelling her to overcome her hesitance.

"I'm..." she took a deep breath   "...I've business with Franziska."

The knot was still there, a clenched fist that seemed to grow tighter each second. The hairs on the back of her neck still stood on end.  Somehow she knew that there was something important that needed to be done.

"I shouldn't have said that, shouldn't be forthcoming with a stranger that has neither offered a name nor asked mine.  But somehow, it feels like I must."  Jaq shook her head, trying to shake off her foolishness. "I'm sorry, I suppose I'm just being silly.  Too many days on the road apparently have made my mind as weary as my feet."

Ah, the queen-to-be. She mused, raising an eyebrow. Mmm, I've that affect on people. But then, witches always do, don't they? She smirked, shaking her head.

The road can certainly get to you, yes. You're certainly not from around here, though. Not with that accent, and the fact you don't recognize me... well, means you're not Orlesian or Ferelden by birth.

She hummed as she turned fully, facing the stranger. And to want to see that little queen-to-be, you must be Antivan. Now, she moved to stand just inches from the girl. One thing you should know about Ferelden, we don't tolerate Crows in our midst.

Morrigan could care less, but she'd rather not train another ruler to properly fear her. So what business do you have with My Liege, Franziska?

Jaqueline didn't flinch as the witch turned to face her.  Her expression was placid and when she spoke, she made an effort to imbue her words with the weight of honesty with which she meant them.
"I am no crow."    She paused for a moment to give emphasis to the words before continuing.    "I was sent to offer an arrangement, of sorts - one that is sensitive in nature and for Franziska's ears.  Should you take issue with that, I am sure there is little I can do to dissuade you from whatever course of action you feel is needed."

Jaqueline held up her hands as if to show that she was alone and unarmed, completely at the witch's mercy.

"I am no threat to her."

She meant the words...though did not expect anyone to simply accept them - at least not anyone worthy of her time.  She didn't need to be trusted, though.  She only needed to be given the chance to complete her task.

The air was electric with magic, as Morrigan listened to the young woman's statement. Should you lie to me, child, she reached to hook her index finger under the girl's chin, tilting her head back.

And slowly, she trailed a magic-touch across the woman's throat. I will be the last thing you see. She stepped backwards, hands folding in front of herself.

As Morrigan removed herself from the young woman's vicinity, the magic she had called upon disembarked. Purple flowers rapidly sprung to life, while in another direction the ground froze and wind picked up. Eventually the magic dissipated entirely.

Enjoy your walk to Denerim, then.

Jaqueline did not flinch.  She wasn't lying...she would never hurt Fran.  And so she just stared back at the witch defiantly.  And as she watched the exhibition, she understood very acutely that she was far outmatched.  But when was she not...especially if she'd already been seen.

Suddenly it was there - the dull throbbing in her stomach, an icy knot that seemed to suck the warmth from her body.  She had goosebumps and visibly shuddered from the cold.  Something was wrong.  Her eyes went wide and her senses sharpened.  She strained to pick up any sound that seemed out of place, the foul stench of trouble, anything.  There was nothing...but still she knew.  She knew there was something headed their way.  She could feel the dark void, the overwhelming hatred.  Darkspawn.

"Stop, please."    She didn't try to hide the look of warning on her face.    "Something's coming." The dagger attached to her belt appeared as she dropped the glamour she had used to conceal it, drawing it swiftly in a well-practiced motion.  She took several steps back, retreating toward the shadows.  She needed more time.  Why was there never enough time?   

"Darkspawn.  I can feel it," she whispered, her voice seeming to emanate from somewhere to her left.

And with that, she took a final step back, melting into the darkness of the forest.

Morrigan raised her eyebrows, as the girl departed to the shadows. She shrugged. So, there's darkspawn. Should I care? She inquired, turning to address the shadows on her left, blue eyes searching the darkness.

Running like a pup with your tail between your legs does you no favors. It won't be more than a handful, the hordes going another direction. She'd seen it from above. Stragglers were all she'd wind up dealing with.

Morrigan idly played with a cut on her hand, contemplating what she wanted to do. She could leave, take off in the air and leave this girl to rot. But if the child was somehow close to the royals, she'd hear an earful.

And she didn't really want to hear from them. Not that they'd do anything to her. She was as much of a threat as Lanariel.

Sighing heavily. Come with me, girl. I'll get you safely to Denerim. She could've flown the girl, but Morrigan wasn't fond of letting people ride her dragon. Neither was Flemeth. She could already hear the old woman waking up, grumbling about the ruin of their walk.

Jaqueline emerged from the shadows a distance away from where she had disappeared, the dagger at the ready in her hand.  Alert to the threat, her pale blue eyes carefully scanned the direction she had indicated.  After a moment, she looked back at the woman in front of her and seemed to reappraise her.  She nodded.

Again, with a movement that comes from years of practice, the dagger was slipped back into its scabbard - which almost instantaneously seemed to wink out of existence.  As she walked toward Morrigan with silent steps, she tugged her sleeves down to meet the edges of the gloves she now wore.

She followed quietly for a bit, still vigilant for any threats around her - including from her new traveling companion.  After a few minutes, her hand slipped into her bag and removed an old and worn book.  It wasn't anything magical - just an old tome taken from her father's library that was full of rare and interesting information.  She had read it countless times, but it never ceased to reveal new secrets.  It was, of course, valuable.  She held it out to the witch.

"It isn't much...but you had mentioned payment."  She hated the idea of being indebted to someone she didn't know, though sometimes things like that were unavoidable.  Still, there was something about this woman...Jaq wasn't sure what it was, but she could feel something in the back of her mind churning.  She had long ago learned to trust her instincts on such things.    "Though, if this is unacceptable I'm sure other arrangements can be made.  As you pointed out, I don't have many things of value with me on this journey."

Morrigan hummed, accepting the old book. This will do. She stated, slipping the weathered book into the bag at her hip. And they walked. The walk was quiet, unadventurous.

Eventually, though, that small group of darkspawn found them. The staff tucked into her seemingly endless bag had been withdrawn as soon as she'd truly noticed the creatures.

She huffed, aiming to jab the nearest darkspawn with the sharpened (might I add, sword) end of her staff. It was almost playful; like she wanted to see what the girl next to her could do. Or would do.

Jaqueline's stomach seemed to drop just a few seconds before they appeared.  She hated that this sense of danger was so unpredictable - sometimes she had minutes, sometimes no warning at all.  This time...it was just long enough to don her gloves. 

She didn't tense - she knew better than that.  Instead, she moved quickly and silently.  She focused on the area around them, her senses alert so she could track everything that moved around her.  Of course, as her focus shifted, the glamour hiding the blades she carried fell away.  There just was no time to worry about that right now.  

She drew a dagger from the now-visible sheath strapped to her leg, her protected fingers trained to avoid the sticky black substance that coated the edge like tar.  She backed into the shadows and they seemed to wrap around her and swallow her completely.  It wasn't that they were alive - that was one of Julian's tricks.  No, this was more that she knew exactly how to use what was there in order to disappear.  Of course, she had learned from experience that the dark didn't lend as much help as much as she wanted against darkspawn, but she'd take whatever assistance she could get.  

A dagger seemed to fly out of the shadows, landing and sticking in the branch of a tree some distance away with a dull thud.  Faster than should have been possible, two more daggers sliced through the air, finding purchase just as a previously unseen darkspawn became visible.  The blades seemed to find just the right spots, causing it to falter and drop to a knee, halting its violent dash toward Morrigan.  It wasn't dead, but its deranged rush had been stopped.  

Nearby, Jaq seemed to drop out of a tree just behind another creature, landing on her feet with unimaginable quiet.  She stepped toward its back and suddenly the tip of a blade emerged from its neck.  The darkspawn seemed to stiffen for a moment, frozen in time as the ichor that spilled from its mouth and wound seemed to continue dripping on the ground beneath him.  But then the world seemed to speed up again as the blade disappeared, pulled out as Jaq retreated back into the shadows.  

Suddenly, there was a loud snap.  The branch that had held her dagger fast seemed to crack, splintering and breaking at the joint to fall on the ground below.  It was loud and, as planned, distracting to their enemies.

Morrigan watched the girl's movements, grinning as she lazily fended off darkspawn from herself. She could dismantle each darkspawn limb-from-limb in mere minutes if she wanted too. But this girl was intriguing and she needed to know more about her; see her in action.

She sensed magic, and yet as the child fought darkspawn she used only the abilities of a trained rogue. Smart. But not what I want to see. I sense magic, so use your magic. She called, lopping the head off of the darkspawn nearest to her.

Quit hiding in the shadows.